After enjoying his cheeseburger, Boston Brand is summoned by the Entity to SilverCity to assume his role as a White Lantern.Across the world, all those resurrected by the Entity learn why they have returned to life, and the Entity tells Brand that he must find the Chosen One, the one who will become the new protector of the Earth…

Notes

Page 1:Boston Brand and Dove last appeared in Brightest Day #6.

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Page 2:“Do you think that ring brought you to me for a reason?”The White Lantern power ring brought Boston Brand to Dawn Granger in Brightest Day #4.

“I thought maybe it was looking for Hank, but the voice from the ring is the same voice I heard when Nekron was on Earth.”During Blackest Night, Dove had a connection to a mysterious white light that could destroy the Black Lanterns; what that light’s connection was to the White Lantern and why she was connected to it remains to be seen.

“Neither does your boyfriend.”Is Boston Brand jealous?Does he have a “thing” for Dawn?That wouldn’t be good, considering that her last boyfriend, Captain “Sal” Arsala, was killed by Monarch in Armageddon 2001 #2..

You remember Monarch, right?He was a future version of Hank Hall – Hawk.

Yeah.Don’t piss off Hawk.

Page 3:“And what’s Hawk do for Dove in return?”This, of course, is the age-old question; we know that Dove is there to help temper Hawk’s anger, but why does Dove need Hawk?

Hawk last appeared in Brightest Day #6.

“I hope you enjoyed your meal.”I didn’t realize that the Entity had restaurant service experience…

Page 4:“Boston Brand of Earth.You are ready.”That’s it?A few bites out of a cheeseburger and he’s ready for the “secret of life”?Jeez, I’ve been eating cheeseburgers for years and gotten nothing…

Page 5: Jerry and Russell, two of SilverCity’s finest, last appeared in Brightest Day #3.Jackson Hyde and his girlfriend Maria last appeared in Brightest Day #4.

“Damn thing’s stuck.”Thus far, no one has been able to lift the White Lantern.

“No.It’s not.”Well, there’s a first time for everything.

How is Jackson Hyde, the future Aqualad, connected to the White Lantern?

“All right, Lantern why did you bring us back?”I really, really, really wanted the Lantern to say something along the lines of, “it was the last issue of an event mini-series and we needed a really huge ending.”But I guess that won’t happen…

Page 6:And presenting…Lifeman!

Aliveman?

Not-so-Deadman?

I dunno, I give up…

Page 7:“But I am dying.”Is the Entity dying because Nekron attacked it at the end of Blackest Night?Or has it reached the end of its natural life cycle?

Page 8:J’onn J’onzz and Miss Martian last appeared in Brightest Day #6.

Presumably, Miss Martian was attacked by the crazy Martian that J’onn is now hunting.

Page 9:The next few pages are important for two reasons.First, it finally gives our cast members a hint to why they were returned to life.Secondly, and this is from a purely continuity-based standpoint, it’s unifying moment.All of the various storylines synch up for a moment, so we finally get to see how they are all tied together.

However, even though this issue answers an important question, it opens a whole new can of worms, so I’m just going to be throwing thoughts and ideas out there.Feel free to play along.

“Burn it.Burn it down.Burn all of it.”So we see J’onn burning down a forest.At first, I assumed that it was the forest that sprung up in StarCity, but upon a second look I realized that there’s nothing in the scene that indicates that this is taking place there.

Does this locale that J’onn is destroying have something to do with the Martian that he is hunting?We’ve already seen that plant life has been dying when J’onn touches it; has the flora been corrupted by his touch?And what is the danger that this place poses to the world and the Entity’s replacement?

“M’gann…your wounds…They’re gone.”I assume that the Entity healed Miss Martian, but why?Is she important as well?

Page 10:Firestorm last appeared in Brightest Day #6.Professor Martin Stein last appeared in Brightest Day #3.

“Third and final stage of Firestorm?What’s that mean?”Yeah, what he said.What were the firs two stages?I’m intrigued.(And I’m sure that the Irredeemable Shag over at Firestorm Fan is curious about this as well…)

Page 11:“Ronald Raymond of Earth, you need to study.Jason Rusch of Earth, you need to get your head out of the books.”Meaning that Ronnie and Jason need to learn from one another.Did the Entity bind them together intentionally for this purpose?

“Don’t let him destroy me.”Does Black Lantern Firestorm have the power to kill the Entity?

Did the Entity force Jason and Ronnie to switch places?Does putting Ronnie in the “backseat” force him to think more?And making Jason the “driver” result in him opening up and being more proactive?

Page 12:Hawkman last appeared in Brightest Day #5.

“There’s no such thing as Hawkworld.”Why would Carter be so insistent about such a thing?It strikes me as weird.How does he know that there’s no place called Hawkworld?Hell, at one point, Thanagar was nicknamed “Hawkworld.”

So Hawkman is talking to Lionmane here.He might not be called Lionmane, and might not be the same Lionmane from previous appearances, but he sure as hell looks like him, and I need to call him something other than “albino lion guy.”

And, yes, as Lionmane confirms, those were Manhawks that Carter and Shiera were battling after they arrived on Hawkworld in Brightest Day #5.

Page 13:“Don’t let them leave this world.”They who?Why can’t they leave Hawkworld, and what will they do if they do leave?

“Stop the queen.”Who’s the queen?Is it…Hyathis?

Honestly, I don’t think so…I just can’t think of anyone else Hawkman-related that even might remotely fit, that’s all.Grasping at straws, I am.

And if you have no idea who Hyathis is, then, congratulations, you’re just not as old as me.

“Don’t you realize, it is the prophecy.”Just what Carter needs, a prophecy about him.He’s already cursed; what more does he need?

Page 14:Hawkgirl last appeared in Brightest Day #5.

“The Nth City.”Nth metal is used by the Thanagarians to negate gravity, allowing them to fly.What is Hawkworld’s connection to Thanagar?

Page 15:“If your lover dies here, there is no more resurrection.Save him from Hath-Set.”So what is it about Hawkworld that is a total game-changer for the Hawks and the curse that binds them to the cycle of resurrection?(Hey, that sounded pretty cool.)

And, if Hath-Set dies on Hawkworld, would he die forever as well?Just thinking out loud, on paper, here…

But if, as I theorize, Jackson is the son of Mera and Black Manta, then Jackson would be sought after by several factions.Poor kid doesn’t stand much of a chance, does he?

“The water on the shore…it’s clean.The fish alive.”If Aquaman and the others were chosen by the Entity, then why have they been having these “issues” with death?Is it a constant reminder that they need to fulfill their missions…or else?

Pages 18-19:I am going to guess that, over the course of the next month or so, all of the rest of the White Lantern Twelve will be receiving their “visions” in their respective titles.Since they haven’t happened yet, I can’t definitively say when they occur.

Captain Boomerang drawn by Francis Manapul.“Throw the boomerang at her.”Why does Boomer have to throw a boomerang at Dove?What purpose does that serve?

Jade drawn by Mark Bagley.“Balance the darkness.”I’d imagine that this has something to do with the current five-part “The Dark Things” storyline running Justice League of America and Justice Society of America, involving Alan Scott and the Starheart.

“Your brother will save your friends.”Okay, no offense to Obsidian, but he’s…well, he has issues.I wouldn’t call him crazy, but unreliable might be a better word.Not sure if I’d rely on him to save my friends, to be honest…

Osiris drawn by Mike Mayhew.“Free the goddess of nature.Free your sister.Free Isis.”Note that Black Adam is not mentioned here.What purpose does Isis serve, and why is she so important to the world?

More on this in a page or so…

Maxwell Lord drawn by Aaron Lopresti.“Magog will plunge this world into war.Stop the war before it starts.”Well, as we’ve seen in Justice League: Generation Lost #6, whatever it is that Max does pretty much destroys the moon and wipes out Earth’s heroes.What sends Magog over the edge?Should we expect a Kingdom Come-like future, only without the somewhat happy ending?

Reverse-Flash drawn by Francis Manapul.“You have allowed the Flash to escape the Speed Force.Mission accomplished.”Remember that, after the Reverse-Flash was returned to life in Blackest Night #8, he traveled back home to the 25th century and then released Barry Allen from the Speed Force, as recounted in The Flash: Rebirth #1-6.

So the Reverse-Flash that is now incarcerated in IronHeights has had much more time to complete his “mission,” compared to Aquaman, J’onn and the others.

“Life returned.”So are the others not fully “alive”?Will they only be allowed to fully live once they complete their tasks?And if they fail…will they die again?

“Catch the boomerang.” So why does Captain Boomerang have to attack Dove, only to have Hawk catch it?What does this serve, and how does it involve protecting the Entity?

Page 20:“If you want to truly live again, help me.”That Entity is pretty much blackmailing them, isn’t it?Help me or else your life won’t matter much.Real nice, Mister Entity of the White Light.

“Life is a gift, Boston Brand.The Chosen One knows that better than anyone.”I am going out on a limb right now and guessing that Isis is the Chosen One.She has a connection to the Earth, and has already been resurrected once already.Plus, the Entity really seems to want her freed from imprisonment.

I’m probably wrong, but it’s the first candidate the springs to mind.

Granted, the Chosen One could very well be someone we’ve never met before, which would be cheap, or Russell from the Silver City Police Department, which would be idiotic…but I hope not.

6 comments:

As always, great write-up. And you are totally right, I'm VERY curious about the stages of Firestorm. Stage 1 seems pretty obvious = Ronnie and the Professor. Now Stage 2 is more curious... was Stage 2 the Elemental Firestorm, Jason as Firestorm, or the current Ronnie/Jason configuration. Hmmm...